Internal combustion engine installation



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W m M Nbv. 18,1941. 1 H. VON TAVEL INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE INSTALLATION Filed April 16, 1940 Patented Nov. 18, 1941 INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE INSTALLATION Hesper von Tavel, Soleure, Soleure, Switzerland, assignor to Scintilla Ltd., Soleure, Switzerland, a corporation of Switzerland Application April 16, 1940, Serial No. 329,963 In Switzerland April 22, 1939 7 Claims.

This invention refers to an internal combustion engine installation comprising the engine itself, a blower for supplying thereto air and fuel from a convenient source, and a turbine operated by the exhaust gases of the internal combustion engine for driving the said blower. Pref erably, the installation may be provided for operation on gaseous fuel.

One principal objectof the invention is to provide means for enabling the blower to supply sufiicient quantities of air and fuel to the internal combustion engine irrespectively of the momentary running conditions of the latter, and of the resulting output of the exhaust gas turbine, and in particular to supply air and fuel to the internal combustion engine preparatoryto its starting.

I shall now proceed to the description of an embodiment of my invention and of the manner in accordance with the particular. purposes for which they are intended, and the conditions under which they are to be utilized.

In the drawing, the reference letter A indi- It has a hollow cates generally a gas producer. cylindric body I which is closed at the bottom and a removable cover 2. Internally, it has a horizontal partition 3 with a central opening in which a grate 4 is arranged. The partition 3 carries an upwardly extending cylindrical wall 5 which has a fireproof lining 6 on its inner face. The upper end "I of the wall 5 joins the body I so that an annular chamber 8 is formed on the outside of the wall 5. From the chamber 8, downwardly sloping slots 9 extend inwardly through the wall 5 and its lining.

A pipe Ill of large diameter connects the annular chamber 3 to the open air, and another pipe ll of smaller diameter is arranged coaxially withina substantial portion of the length of the the gas which leaves the gas producer A through the pipe Il. {may be used for'jthe{ a me purpose, this purifying device has been exemplified by a so-called cyclone purifier. It comprises-.ajhollow body I 3 providing 55 shifted by the operator.

Although purifiers of various kinds a chamber I 4 of circular cross section which has a larger diameter in its upper part than in its lower part. The latter is traversed by a slidable plate l5 which normally forms the bottom closure of the chamber l4. Below the plate l5, a second closure for the said chamber is formed by a valve-like bottom It mounted on a lever H which is fulcrumed at I! and has a counterweight I! for pressing the bottom l6 against its conical seat provided by the bottom rim 20 of the body I3. The closed top 2i of the latter has a central opening into which an outlet pipe 22 fits; this pipe extends axially downward into the chamber l4. The aforementioned pipe II which comes from the gas producer A is connected to the body l3 so as to deliver the gas tangentially into the chamber I4, above the lower end of the outlet pipe 22.

The pipe 22 connects the purifier to the blower, which is generally indicated by the letter C. Its housing provides an air inlet chamber 23, a gas inlet chamber 24 communicating with the pipe 22, a spiral outlet chamber 25 and two bearings 25 for a shaft 21. To the latter, a runner 28 is keyed and separates the air inlet chamber 23 from the gas inlet chamber 24. This runner has vanes arranged in radial planes and leaving between them radially extending recesses or channels. Every alternate one of these channels is in open communication with the air inlet chamber 23 but is separated from the gas inlet chamber 24 by the solid material of the runner. The channels of this kind are indicated by the reference numeral 29. The other channels 30, which alternate with the channels 29, are in open communication with the gas inlet chamber 24 but separated from the air inlet chamber 23. Both the channels 29 and the channels 30 are open at the circumference of the runner towards the tle valve 34 is provided for controlling the flow of gas. This valve is mounted on a shaft 35 which carries an adjusting lever 36 outside the pipe 22. A similar throttle valve3l is provided in the air inlet pipe 3|, on a shaft 38 which carries an adjusting lever 39. Both the adjusting levers 35 and 39 are linked to a common adjusting rod 40 which can be longitudinally Communicating with the spiral outlet chamber 25 of the blower, is a pipe 4| which divides into two branch pipes 42 and 43. At the point of division, a flap 44 is provided on a shaft 45 extending to the outside. The arrangement of this flap with respect to the entrance of the two branch pipes is such that, according to the position of the flap 44, either the branch pipe 42 communicates with the pipe 4| while the en-' trance to the pipe 43 is closed, or the branch pipe 43 is in communication with the pipe 4|, the entrance to the pipe 42 being obstructed. On the shaft 45, a lever 46 is mounted for manual operation of the flap 44.

The pipe 42 leads to the open air, while the pipe 43 forms the inlet trunk pipe of an internal combustion gas motor indicated by the general reference letter D. It may be of conventional design and in the present embodiment has four cylinders 41. Each cylinder has an inlet port 48 branched from the trunk pipe 43 and an exhaust port 49. These exhaust ports join the exhaust collecting pipe 58 which communicates with an exhaust gas turbine E through a further pipe This turbine E has a housing 52 which provides a spiralinlet chamber 53 in communication with the aforesaid pipe 5|, and two bearings 54 for the shaft 55 of the turbine. This shaft is coupled at 55 to the shaft 21 of the blower C, At 51, the inlet chamber 53 has an annular opening across which radial guide blades 58 are fixed in the housing 52. To the turbine shaft 55, a runner wheel 58 is keyed; this wheel carries blades 50 which extend radially in front of the annular opening at 51. Seen in radial direction, the guide blades 58 and the runner blades 60 have inwardly curved streamlined profiles as usual in gas turbine construction, so that the pressure of the exhaust gases produces a turning moment on the runner wheel 58 when the said gases flow through the opening 51, between the blades. Beyond the said wheel, the gases are collected in a chamber BI and carried away through a pipe 62.

The reference F indicates, in conventional diagrammatic representation, a dynamo electric machine, the rotor of which is carried by a shaft 63 coupled at 54 to the blower shaft 21. This machine has a wound rotor armature with'collector of usual construction, conventionally indicated at '65, a pair of brushes and 51 cooperating with the said collector, and exciter windings 68 and 69. The main current terminals of the machine are indicated at and 1|; the terminal 10 is directly connected to the brush 66, while the terminal 'II is connected to one end of the excitation winding 68; the opposite end terminal 12 of the latter is connected to the brush 61, so that the exciter winding 68 is in series with the winding on the armature 65.

The other exciter winding 59 has its one end connected to the end terminal 12 of the series exciter winding 68 and is thus also directly connected to the brush 51. The opposite end of the winding 69 is connected to a terminal 13. Fromthe latter, a circuit goes through a regulating device G, which will be described in detail in the further course of this description, to the terminal 10 thus the exciter winding 68 is in parallel with the winding on the armature 65, and may be referred to as the shunt exciter winding,

Assuming that an electromotive force from an external source is applied between the terminals 10 and H for operating the dynamo electric machine F as a motor, current will fiow. from the terminal 10 through the brush 85, the winding of the armature 65, the brush 61, the terminal 12 and the series winding 68 to the terminal 1|. Simultaneously, current will flow from the terminal I8 through the regulator G, the terminal I3, the shunt winding 69, the terminal 12 and the series winding 68, also to the terminal 'II. The windings 68 and 69 are wound in such sense that under the said conditions the field produced by the series winding 68 reinforces the field produced by the shunt winding 69.

Assuming, however, that the dynamo machine works as a generator, the diiference of potential between the brushes 66 and 61 will be greater than the difference of potential between the terminals'lfl and 1|. The current then flows, on one hand, from the brush 66 to the terminal 10 and back from the terminal 1| through the series winding 58 and the terminal I2 to the brush 61; and on the other hand, from the brush 65 and the terminal 10 through the regulating device G, the terminal 13, the shunt winding 68 and the terminal 12,-to the brush 61. Thus, the field produced in the series winding 68 counteracts the field produced in the shunt winding.

The regulating device G comprises a resistance 14 the ends of which are connected to terminals 15 and I6, respectively. The terminal 15 is connected to the terminal I0 and the terminal 16 to thelterminal 13 of the dynamo machine. The regulating device further comprises a movable armature 11 which is electrically connected to the terminal 15 and cooperates with a fixed contact 18 which is connected to the terminal 16. When in closed position, the armature Tl thus establishes a connection between the terminals 15 and I6 and shunts the resistance 14, but there is a spring 19 which tends to maintain the armature in an open position when this shunt connection is interrupted, In the closing direction the armature H is displaced by the electromagnetic attraction of an iron core when the latter is energised.

This core carries two separate windings 8| and 82. The two ends of the winding 8| are connected, respectively, to the two brushes 83 and 84 of a tachometer dynamo 85 the rotor of which is carried by the shaft 63 of the dynamo electric machine F and the field of which is provided by a permanent magnet 86. Between the brush 84 and the corresponding end of the winding 8|, an adjustable resistance 81 is provided in the circuit.

The winding 82 on the core 80 has its one end connected to the terminal 16, while its opposite end is connected to a separate terminal 88, from which a conductor 89 goes to the terminal 12 of the dynamo electric machine F. The winding 82 is wound on the core 88 in such a direction that current flowing therethrough from the terminal 16 to the terminal 12 tends to counteract the energisation of the core 80 produced by the current which the tachometer dynamo 85 sends through the winding 8|. .The self induction of the winding 82 is smaller than that of the shunt exciter winding 68 to which it is in parallel.

The terminal 10 of the dynamo electric machine F is connected to the positive terminal 80 of a storage battery Hr Between the negative terminal 9| ofthe said battery and the terminal 1| of the dynamo electricmachine F, there is a connection including a manually operable switch 92. 3am: an automatic control'dei/ice which will now be described.

The control device K has a terminal 93 connected, through the switch 92, to the terminal ll of the dynamo electric machine, a terminal 94 connected to the negative terminal 9| of the battery, a terminal 95 directly connected, by a conductor 99, to the line 91 which goes from the dynamo terminal 19 to the positive battery terminal 99, and a terminal 99 which is connected through a resistance 99 to the same 'line 91. The terminals 94 and 99 are each connected to one of the two separate stationary contacts I99 and I9I or an electromagnetic switch. This latter'has a contact bridge I92 carried by a longitudinally movable core I93. A spring I94 tends to keep the bridge I93 in the position in which the switch interrupts the connection between the terminals 94 and 99. For closing the switch, a stationary current winding I95 and a stationary voltage winding I99 are provided around the core I93. The current winding I95 is connected between the terminals 93 and 94, and the voltage winding I99 between the terminals 95 and 94.

Proceeding towardsthe terminal 94, the turns,

of the winding I95 on the core I93 oppose those of the winding I99.

The described installation operates as follows:

To start the gas producer A, its space above the grate 4 is filled with wood or charcoal pieces I91, the cover 2 being temporarily removed for this purpose. Then a fire is 'lit in the chamber I2 below the grate 4, until the lower part of the wood or charcoal charge I91 is glowing until near the issue of the slots 9. Thereafter, the flap 44 is turned into the position for connecting the open air pipe 42 to the pipe H and .the switch 92 is closed. The battery H being in charged condition, current then passes from the positive terminal 99 of the battery, over the line 91, the terminal 19 of the dynamo machine F, the brush 99, the windings of the armature 95, the brush 91, the terminal 12, the series exciter winding 98, the terminal H, the closed switch 92, and the terminal 93, winding I95 and terminal 94 of the control device K to the negative terminal 9I of the battery H. A branch current flows from the terminal 19 of the dynamo electric machine F through the terminal 15, the resistance 14 and the terminal 19 of the regulating device G, the terminal 13 and the shunt exciter winding 99 of the dynamo electric machine F to the terminal" thereof, where it joins the main current. A further branch current flows from the terminal 19 of the regulating device G through the winding 92, the terminal 89, the conductor 99 and joins the first mentioned branch current, at the terminal 12. Finally, a branch current also flows from the line '91 through the conductor 99, the terminal 95, the winding I99 to the terminal 94 of the control device K, where it joins the main current. The electromagnetic effects of the windings I95 and I99 then counteract each other, so that the contact bridge I92 is kept in open position by the spring I94, and the resistance 99 is out of circuit. Also the current passing through the winding 92 in the regulating device G cannot energise the said winding sumciently to overcome the force of the spring 19 which maintains the armature 11 in open position.

The currentsin the winding of the armature 95 and in.the exciter windings 99 and 99 of the dynamo electric machine F cooperate to produce a turning moment on the said armature, so that the latter begins to rotate, and through the shafts 93, 21 and 55 also imparts rotation to the runners or wheels 29 of the blower C and 59 of the turbine E. The runner 29 then forces air from the air inlet chamber 23 through the channels 29 and from the gas inlet chamber 24 through the channels 99, both into the outlet spiral chamber 25. Thence the air is returned to the atmosphere through the pipes 4| and 42; in the inlet chambers 23 and 24, suction is thus produced. As a consequence further air is drawn from the atmosphere into the chamber 23, through the grid 33 and the pipe 3|. For the chamber 24, the air is drawn through the gas producer A. It enters through the annular space between the pipes I9 and II and proceeds through the annular chamber 9, the slots 9,- the glowing portion of the wood or charcoal charge I91 and the grate 4 to the chamber I2. Then it is drawn through the inside of the pipe II into the chamber I4 of the purifier B which it enters tangentially, and receives a whirling motion which maintains the air particles for some time in the said chamber. Only when these air particles have sufliciently slowed down to deposit on the plate I5 any dust which they carry with them, can they proceed through the pipe 22, and reach the inlet chamber 24 of the blower C.

The combustible charge I91 is then maintained glowing by the air draught from the slots 9 to the grate 4. In doing so, it develops combustible gas which by degrees replaces the air drawn from the bottom chamber I2 of the gas producer, through the pipe I I. This combustible gas leaves the said bottom chamber at high temperature but through the wall of the pipe II delivers its heat to the air which enters through the annular space between the pipes I9 and I I. The channels 39 in the runner then deliver mainly combustible gas to the spiral chamber 25, where this gas is very thoroughly mixed with the air which at the same time is delivered through the channels 29 of the runner 29. The mixture of air and combustible gas can be tested at the issue of the pipe 42, and when it has become rich enough to burn easily the flap 44 can be turned over to deliver the mixture. to the inlet trunk pipe 43 of the internal combustion engine D. With this mixture as motive means, the said engine can be started by cranking or otherwise.

While the internal combustion engine is running, it 'delivers hot exhaust gases under convenient pressure through the exhaust pipes 49, 59 and 5I into the spiral inlet chamber 53 of the turbine E. Thence, these gases proceed through the-annular opening 51, where they are suitably guided by the blades 59, and through the intervals between the runner blades 69, so that they impart a turning moment to the wheel 59. Thereafter, they are carried off through the pipe 92.

The turning moment imparted to the wheel 59 istransmitted to the blower C by the shaft 55 and the coupling 59, and assists the dynamo electric machine F in driving the blower. The rotation of the shaft line 55, 21', 93 is thus accelerated. When these shafts have attained a definite speed, the current delivered by the tachometer dynamo 95 through the winding H of the regulating device G and the resistance 91 energises the said winding 9| to such an extent that the opposing effect of the winding 92 and of the spring 19 is overcome, and the armature 11 is attracted by the core 99. The armature- 11 then touches the contact 19 and establishes a shunt connection between the terminals 15 and 19. As a consequence, the current for the shunt exciter winding 69 can by-pas's the resistance 14 hence increases its intensity.

The increase of intensity, however, creates a compensating current, on account of the self induction in the shunt exciter winding 09. This compensating current flows through the winding 09 in opposite direction to the normal exciter current which has'been reinforced, i. c. it opposes the increase of the said exciter current between the terminals I6 and 12, but it returns from the terminal 16 through the winding 02 and reinforces the branch current which flows through the latter towards the terminal I2.

Owing to this reinforcement of current in the winding 82, the latter again overcomes the energising effect of the winding on the core 00, so that the-spring I9 draws the armature I1 back into its circuit opening position.

This results in a momentary'diminution of the intensity of the current which runs through the exciter winding 69, but this diminution is opposed by'the self induction effect in the winding 69, which produces a compensating current passing through the said winding 69 in the direction from the terminal I3 to the terminal I2, and thence back to the terminal I3 via the conductor 89, terminal 88, winding 02 and terminal I0. This time, the winding 82 is energised in such a way as to assist the winding 8|. consequence, the armature I1 is again attracted by the core 80 and closes the shunt connection between the terminals I5and 16. As this closing again produces an increase of the current through the exciter winding 69, the described cycle of operation recommences, so that the armature 11 effects vibrations between its .opening and closing positions. The higher the speed of rotation of the shaft line 55, 21, 63 is, the greater is the intensity of the current through the winding 8 I, and the longer is each period during which the armature 11 is in closed position. On an average, the current through the shunt exciter winding, therefore, increases when the speed of the said shaft line increases.

This increase of exciter current tends to counteract the increase of speed, on account of the well-known characteristics of direct current machines. Thus, the effect of the regulating device is to maintain the speed of rotation of the shaft l ne, and more particularly of the blower,

at a substantially constant value. This speed can be adjusted by modifying the resistance 81 ers increased power, the energy contained in its exhaust gases also has an increased value; the turning moment on the wheel 59 of the turbine may then exceed the turning moment required by'the blower C for operating at the speed maintained by the regulator G; In this case, the increased excitation current in the periods in which the shunt connection between the terminals I5 and I8 is closed, no longer produces a diminution of the speed of rotation of the shaft line 55, 21, 63, but it causes the dynamo electric machine to operate as a generator while it is maintained at constant speed by the turbine E owing to the excess turning moment of the latter.

Thus, the dynamo electric machine delivers cur rent whichflows from the brush it through the terminal and the line 91 to the positive terminal 90 of the battery H, and from the negative terminal ill of the battery through the terminal 04, the current winding I05, the terminal Asacomes greater.

03, the switch 92, the terminal II, the series exciter winding 08, and the terminal 12 back to the brush 61; Thereby, the battery H ischarged.

Although the current has reversed its direction of flow, the potential difference between the terminals I0 and 12 has not changed its sign, so that the shunt exciter current flows in the same direction as when the dynamo electric machine ran as a motor. It will be noted that now the series exciter winding 60 counteracts the shunt exciter winding 69. This counteraction is not very strong, because at the higher speed, the a current which passes through the windings of the.

winding 69 largely overcomes that of the series winding 68.

When the speed of rotation of the shaft line tends to-increase, and the average exciter current through the winding 69 is also increased by the regulating device G, the current delivered by. the dynamo electric machine increasestoo, while the turning moment required from the turbine E be- Therefore the latter cannot be accelerated further, and the speed for which the resistance 81 is adjusted, is maintained.

The current which passes through the current coil I 05 of the control device K now is directed from the terminal 84 towards the terminal 93. As a consequence, the electromagnetic attraction of the current coil I05 on the core I03 assists that of the voltage coil I06. When the potential difference between the terminals and 9| of the battery H approaches its highest admissible value, and a substantial charging current continues to pass through the current coil I05, then the combined attraction of the coils I05 and I06 overcomes the force of the spring I04, so that the core I03 is attracted and the bridge I02 connects the contacts I00 and IM to each other. This now permits part of the charging current to be by-passed through the resistance 09, from the line 91 to the terminal 90 instead of passing through the battery H. Thereby, overcharging of the latter is automatically prevented.

It will be seen that with the installation described the runner 20 rotates at substantially constant speed. For a given setting of the adjusting rod 40, it also delivers a substantially constant quantity of combustible gas from the producer A, and a corresponding quantity of air. These quantities remain substantially. unaffected by changes of the speed of the internal combustion engineD and can even be kept available when the latter is at a standstill. Of course under these conditions the flap 04 must be set to connect the pipe 4| to the outlet branch pipe 42, so that the mixture of combustible gas and air which is available for, but not taken in by the engine, mayescape to the open air.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination an internal combustion engine; a turbine having its intake connected to the exhaust of said internal combustion engine; a blower for delivering air and fuel to said internal combustion engine; a dynamo electric machin suitable for working either as a generator or as a motor and having an armature conductor system and at least one exciter conductor system; driving connections between said turbine. blower a d dynamo electric machine; a storage battery; a main circuit including the said battery and the armature conductor system of said dynamo machine; an exciter circuit including the said exciter conductor system of said dynamo machine; and a current regulator connected in said exciter circuit, and responsive to the speed of said blower for admitting current of increased average intensity through the said exciter circuit when the speed of the blower increases.

2. In combination an internal combustion engine; a turbine having its intake connected to the exhaust of said internal combustion engine; a blower for delivering air and fuel to said internal combustion engine; a dynamo electric machine suitable for working either as a current generator or as a motor and having an armature conductor system and at least one exciter conductor system; driving connections between said turbine, blower and dynamo electric machine; a storage battery; 9. main circuit including said battery and the armature conductor system of the dynamo electric machine; an exciter circuit branch connected to said main circuit in parallel with the armature conductor system and including the said exciter conductor system of the dynamo electric machine; a device responsive to the speed of the blower for modifying the average electric resistance of said exciter circuit branch.

3. In combination an internal combustion engine; a turbine having its intake connected to the exhaust of said internal combustion engine; a blower for delivering air and fuel to said internal combustion engine; a dynamo electric machine suitable for working either as a current generator or as a motor and having an armature conductor system and at least one exciter conductor system; driving connections between said turbine, blower and dynamo electric machine; a storage battery; a main circuit including said battery and the armature conductor system of the dynamo electric machine; an exciter circuit branch connected to said main circuit in parallel with the armature conductor system and including the said exciter conductor system of the dynamo electric machine; at least one resistance in said exciter circuit branch; a shunt connection between the ends of said resistance; a normally open switch in said shunt connection; actuating means responsive to the speed of said blower for at least intermittently closing said switch when the blower exceeds a predetermined speed.

4. In combination an internal combustion engine; a turbine having its intake connected to the exhaust or said internal combustion engine; a blower for delivering air and fuel to said internal combustion engine; a dynamo electric machine suitable !or working either as a current generator or as a motor and having an armature conductor system and at least one exciter conductor system; a tachometer dynamo constructed to deliver an electric current the intensity of which varies in accordance with the speed at which the tachometer dynamo is driven; driving connections between said turbine, blower, dynamo electric machine and tachometer dynamo; a storage battery; a main circuit including the said battery and the armature conductor systemof the dynamo electric machine; an exciter circuit including the said exciter conductor system of said dynamo machine; a regulator responsive to the current produced by the said tachometer dyname, and connected to said exciter circuit for varying the average electric resistance thereof in opposite sense to the variation of the said curre t.

5. In combination an internal combustion engine; a turbine having its intake connected to the exhaust of said internal combustion engine; a blower for delivering air and fuel to said internal combustion engine; a dynamo electric machine suitable for working either as a current generator or as a motor and having an armature co ductor system and at least an exciter conductor system; a tachometer dynamo constructed to deliver an electric current the intensity of which varies in accordance with the speed at which the tachometer dynamo is driven; driving connections between said turbine, blower, dynamo electric machine and tachometer dynamo; a storage battery; a main circuit including the said battery and the armature conductor systemof the dynamo electric machine; an exciter circuit including the said exciter conductor system of the said dynamo electric machine; at least one resistance in the said exciter circuit; a shunt co nection between the ends of said resistance; a normally open switch in said shunt connection; an electromagnet coil for closing the said switch; and a circuit comprising the said electromagnet coil and the said tachometer dynamo.

6. The combination claimed in claim 5 and comprising an auxiliary electromagnet coil connected to the said exciter circuit in parallel with v the said exciter conductor system of the dynamo electric machine and effective on the said switch for modifying the effect of the first-said electromagnet coil in response to self-induction produced in the exciter circuit by the opening and closing of the switch.

7. In combination an internal combustion engine; a turbine having its intake connected to the exhaust of said iternal combustion engine; a blower for delivering air and fuel to said internal combustion engine; a dynamo electric machine suitable for operating either as a generator or as a motor and having an armature conductor system and at least one exciter conductor system; driving connections between said turbine, blower and dynamo electric machine; a storage battery; a main circuit including said battery and the armature conductorsystem of said dynamo electric machine; an exciter circuit including the said exciter conductor system of said dynamo electric machine; a current regulator connected in said exciter circuit and responsive to the speed of said blower ior admitting current oif increased average intensity through the said exciter circuit when the speed oi the blower increases; a shunt connection between the terminals of the battery; a resistance in said shunt connection; a normally open switch in said shunt connection; and an electromagnet for actuating the said switch, said electromagnet comprising a voltage coil connected between the terminals of the said battery and a current coil connected between the dynamo electric machine and the battery, the said current coil being wound in such direction as to assist the voltage 0011 when traversed by current charging the battery.

HESPER von TAVEL. 

